Written Answers

Wednesday 25 October 2000

Scottish Executive

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote air freight.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive recognises that the continuing growth and development of air freight is vital to the Scottish economy. The enterprise networks are working with Scottish airports, Scottish industry and freight carriers to build on the strong growth seen in air freight traffic over the last 10 years.

Biodiversity

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4691 by Sarah Boyack on 27 March 2000, what its share was, as an amount and as a percentage, of the cost of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and whether it will give a breakdown of this cost.

Sarah Boyack: The previous answer related to the Corncrake UK Biodiversity Action Plan. In addition to the costs identified, the Scottish Executive has incurred costs through its agri-environment programme. Payments are made to farmers and crofters through the Argyll Islands and the Machair Environmentally Sensitive Area schemes (ESAs) and elsewhere through the Countryside Premium Scheme (CPS). In each case these are payments for general grassland bird measures and it is not possible to disaggregate the costs of particular species.

  Additionally, total net expenditure by the Scottish Biodiversity Group since 1997 in support of the annual seminars of the steering group of the Corncrake UK Biodiversity Action Plan is £2,102.17.

Cancer

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what total expenditure, in real terms, on research into cancer, broken down by type of cancer, (a) was in the last three years for which figures are available and (b) will be in the next three years.

Susan Deacon: Cancer is one of the Scottish Executive health priorities and a specific research priority.

  a) Over the last three financial years, the Scottish Executive has awarded the following funding in cash terms to cancer research:

  





1997-98
£ million 


1998-99
£ million 


1999-2000
£ million 




1. Direct funding - Research Projects 


0.6 


0.7 


1.2 




2. Indirect Funding – to support research in NHS in Scotland 


Not available 


4.7 


6.2 




3. Scottish Cancer Therapy Network 


0.2 


0.2 


0.2 




4. Cancer Equipment initiative 





0.5 




  Notes:

  1. A breakdown of total awards made to cancer research projects in 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 by cancer type is provided in the table below. Details on individual projects, which may run for up to three years, are available from the National Research Register (NRR), a copy of which is in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

  2. Programmes of research which are supported in the NHS in Scotland can be very broad and encompass a range of subjects. Because of this, we are not able to provide a figure/percentage spend on cancer for 1997-98 and, for 1998-99, we are able to provide only a broad estimate. For 1999-2000, however, we asked NHS providers to specify spend on priority areas, like cancer, separately. We are unable to provide a breakdown by cancer type.

  3. The Scottish Cancer Therapy Network aims to ensure that optimal treatment is available to all cancer patients in Scotland. Its work includes involvement in trials, developing guidelines about cancer management/treatment and auditing the impact of these guidelines.

  4. This one-off initiative funds capital equipment items to support general research on cancer.

  In addition to its own research programme, the Scottish Executive Health Department collaborates with other UK Health Departments and the Medical Research Council (MRC) to develop and maintain an effective partnership for the promotion, funding and management of UK medical research. The MRC is the main agency through which the UK Government supports biomedical and clinical research and it is estimated to spend around £28.5 million per year directly on research into cancer. The results of the projects undertaken throughout the UK will inform the future direction of research and treatment of this disease.

  The MRC also funds a large body of basic research including the study of molecules and cells, genetics, and injections and immunity, which will underpin advances in cancer research as well as other diseases.

  b) At present, the Scottish Executive funds research mainly by response-mode and therefore cannot supply an estimate of future funding on cancer. Its current research funding mechanisms are, however, under review and one aim of the review is to ensure that priority areas such as cancer are adequately resourced.

  Breakdown by Cancer Type of Cancer Research Projects Funded

  


Type of cancer 


1997-98
£K 


1998-99
£K 


1999-2000
£K 




Bladder 


27 


45 


19 




Bowel 


59 


100 


199 




Breast 


202 


89 


291 




General 


89 


136 


225 




Gynaecological 


87 


171 


154 




Haematological 


17 


- 


18 




Head & neck 


43 


50 


10 




Skin 


- 


19 


68 




Upper gastrointestinal 


81 


93 


174 




Total 


605 


703 


1,158

Children

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to address the 40% increase in accidental deaths of children under 15.

Susan Deacon: The data collected by the General Register Office do not confirm there has been any such increase. The Executive is, however, considering currently how best to further promote the prevention of accidents among children.

Environment

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider allowing local authorities to retain income from fines for litter offences to offset enforcement costs and to fund anti-litter initiatives.

Sarah Boyack: Local authorities may retain the proceeds of litter fixed penalty notices. The amount of the fixed penalty is currently set at £25. Fines imposed by the district court following prosecution are retained by the court. We have no plans to introduce any changes.

Ferry Services

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is the breakdown of responsibilities between it and the Scotland Office in establishing and funding any subsidised ferry routes between Campbeltown and Ballycastle.

Sarah Boyack: Scottish Ministers have powers under the Highlands and Islands Shipping Services Act 1960 to maintain and improve sea transport services serving the Highlands and Islands and those powers are used to support lifeline services currently provided by Caledonian MacBrayne and P&O. Under the terms of the Scotland Act 1998, Scottish Ministers do not have powers to award financial assistance to public transport ferry services which start or finish or both outside Scotland. Financial assistance for such services is therefore a matter for the Scotland Office.

  However, given the prospect that re-establishment of the ferry service between Campbeltown and Ballycastle could provide economic benefits to the Campbeltown area, Scottish Ministers support current efforts led by Scotland Office Ministers to re-establish this route; and to seek the European Commission’s agreement that it should be operated on a public service obligation basis, enabling public subsidy to be made available in compliance with state aid rules.

  Detailed arrangements for the provision of subsidy are dependent on agreement that the service may be operated on a public service obligation basis. The Scotland Office and other interested parties are presently considering an appropriate funding mechanism that would be consistent with state aid rules.

Further Education

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it proposes to publish the Scottish Ministers’ Annual Report on the discharge during 1999 of duties in relation to further education in Scotland, as required under section 1 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Ministers’ Annual Report on Further Education in Scotland for 1999 has been published today, and has been laid before the Scottish and Westminster Parliaments. Copies are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

  1999 was an important year for Scottish further education, with the establishment of the Scottish Further Education Funding Council and a major injection of new funding to expand educational opportunities within a new Scotland.

  Our goal of widening access to further education, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds, is being realised. We have set a target of an additional 40,000 college student places by 2002. This is a key part of delivering our social justice agenda and of building a well skilled workforce to underpin Scotland’s future economic competitiveness and prosperity.

  In addition we recently outlined our new three-year Spending Review that will see annual funding for further education rise over the five years 1999-2004 by over 50%, to £436 million.

  This underlines our vision of Scotland as a learning nation, where lifelong learning opportunities are accessible to everyone. Education improves people’s prospects of sustainable employment and a better quality of life. The further education colleges are central to delivering this.

Health

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to enhance the education of those at risk from heart disease as to what the symptoms of a heart attack are and what action to take as a result of such symptoms.

Susan Deacon: Some health boards have produced helpful material on coronary heart disease, including information on the symptoms of a heart attack and what action to take. As part of the long-running Heart Campaign in Grampian, the health board’s Health Promotions Organisation gives wide circulation to an information card produced by the Health Education Board for Scotland, which provides basic information about risks and symptoms. Another example of good practice in providing the information mentioned in the question is My Heart Book , issued in May 2000 by Greater Glasgow Health Board. The Scottish Executive commends these approaches.

  The pilot local Managed Clinical Network for cardiac services in Dumfries & Galloway has a public involvement working group, with active participation of members of the public. It is considering the information needed by the public on all aspects of CHD, and how best to make this available. This work will cover the point raised in the question, and the Scottish Executive will then consider how the lessons learned from the pilot can most effectively inform the provision of information on cardiac matters at national level.

Health

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2237 by Susan Deacon on 14 September 2000, whether it will intervene to ensure that the review of the acute services in Tayside is not being driven by financial considerations.

Susan Deacon: It is a matter primarily for the NHS in Tayside to ensure that its acute services are both clinically and financially viable.

Health

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that stand alone ambulatory and diagnostic care centres, as proposed in two options contained in the review of acute services in Tayside for Perth and Angus, are safe options for patients in these respective areas.

Susan Deacon: It is primarily for the NHS in Tayside to ensure that its acute services are safe. Clinical safety is one of the assessment criteria being used to appraise the options in the acute services review in Tayside.

Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to extend the categories of illness or other conditions which entitle applicants to free prescriptions.

Susan Deacon: We have no current plans to do so.

Health

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review photobiology, hyperbaric medicine and hydatidiform mole services.

Susan Deacon: These three services are funded as National Services within the NHS in Scotland. A review of their National Service status has recently been carried out by the National Services Advisory Group and the group’s recommendations are being considered. A decision on these recommendations will be made shortly.

Health

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the benefits will be of full implementation of the Scottish Care Information Programme for (a) the NHSiS and (b) patients.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Care Information (SCI) Programme will produce computer software products which NHS Trusts can use in conjunction with their own or commercial software to support priority activities, to enable information about a patient to be shared by clinical staff within the Trust or with the patient’s GP and to serve as the basis for the Electronic Patient Record and Electronic Health Record.

  In conjunction with other related initiatives, SCI will provide healthcare professionals with the right information where it is needed. Faster outpatient booking process is expected and improved exchange of information between primary and secondary care resulting in more appropriate referrals and more effective transfer of information on discharge from secondary care. Patients will benefit from not having to repeatedly give the same information to different parts of the same organisation and will have the reassurance that the clinicians have appropriate access to their clinical history. The benefits to NHS include better value for money for IM&T investment and the provision of IT systems and standards which have a high degree of compatibility.

Influenza

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any meetings with pharmaceutical manufacturers regarding their capacity to supply the flu vaccine in time for this forthcoming winter.

Susan Deacon: There are five pharmaceutical manufacturers supplying the UK market during the coming flu season. The Executive has been in contact with each manufacturer regarding their flu vaccine programme, and we understand that distribution of the vaccines will take place in Scotland between late September and mid-late October. It is difficult to be precise because, as biological products, vaccines have to undergo independent stringent safety tests before they are able to be released onto the market. However, there are currently no grounds for thinking that there will be shortages.

Justice

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish its reply to the Strathclyde Joint Police Board regarding the board’s request that monies raised from items subject to forfeiture by a sheriff be returned for local community use.

Mr Jim Wallace: We have not received the request to which this question refers.

Land

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to regulate the sale or disposal of land at ports and harbours.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has no plans to alter the regulation of the sale or disposal of land at Scottish ports and harbours under their existing statutory powers and duties conferred by local Acts and Harbour Orders.

Land

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had or plans to hold with Railtrack on the use of disused land as allotment sites with particular reference to any related health and safety issues.

Sarah Boyack: The disposal of land by Railtrack is a commercial decision for the company and not a matter in which the Scottish Executive has any locus.

Land

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to extend the powers of local authorities to take action on vacant or derelict properties.

Sarah Boyack: There are no plans at present to do so.

Medical Records

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when an electronic health record of every patient will become available and who will be able to access it.

Susan Deacon: The Electronic Health Record (EHR) is a longitudinal record of care and relevant health issues about an individual containing summarised information on important health events throughout a patient’s life. It will be accessible, appropriately and with the patient’s consent, to a range of healthcare professionals caring for an individual patient. It is expected that such records will, in the first instance, be made available to support out of hours and accident and emergency services. The creation of Electronic Health Records is a key part of the NHS in Scotland Information Management & Technology Strategy, now being refreshed, and targets for the establishment of such records will be announced soon.

Meningitis

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the morbidity and mortality rates in respect of (a) meningitis A, (b) meningitis B, (c) meningitis C and (d) unidentified meningitis strains were in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Susan Deacon: Meningitis A is very rare in the UK and there have been no cases for at least five years and no significant outbreaks since the early 1970s.

  The Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH) has confirmed the cases of meningitis B and C and the rarer serogroups W135, X and Y as set out in the table below for years 1998,1999 and 2000 to date. The tables also provide details of deaths by serogroups where these were known:

  


2000 




Meningitis Strain 


Confirmed cases 


% of Tested Cases 


No. of Deaths 




Not Grouped 


123 


- 


10 




B confirmed 


84 


56% 


1 




C confirmed 


53 


35% 


8 




Non-groupable 


5 


3% 


0 




W135 


5 


3% 


0 




X 


0 


0% 


0 




Y 


4 


3% 


0 




Total Cases 


274 










Total Deaths 








19 




  


1999 




Meningitis Strain 


Confirmed cases 


% of Tested Cases 


No. of Deaths 




Not Grouped 


141 


- 


9 




B confirmed 


105 


50% 


5 




C confirmed 


95 


45% 


8 




Non-groupable 


1 


0% 


0 




W135 


3 


1% 


1 




X 


3 


1% 


0 




Y 


3 


1% 


0 




Total Cases 


351 










Total Deaths 








23 




  


1998 




Meningitis Strain 


Confirmed cases 


% of Tested Cases 


No. of Deaths 




Not Grouped 


139 


- 


5 




B confirmed 


70 


40% 


3 




C confirmed 


75 


43% 


6 




Non-groupable 


6 


3% 


0 




W135 


2 


1% 


0 




X 


2 


1% 


1 




Y 


3 


2% 


0 




Other 


16 


9% 


0 




Total Cases: 


313 










Total Deaths 








15 




  Notes: % Cases - refers to the percentage of cases for which a serogroup has been confirmed.

  Deaths – refers to the numbers of total deaths, which have been confirmed as having been infected with this serogroup.

NHS Funding

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to paragraph 2.4 of the final Arbuthnott report, whether the mid-year estimate of population employed in deciding the allocation of resources for hospital and community health services and for general practitioner prescribing will be updated on an annual basis.

Susan Deacon: On 21 September I announced in-year allocations for 2000-01 and allocations for 2001-02 based on the recently published results of the Arbuthnott Review. For any subsequent allocations, I intend to take into account all of the recommended annual updates as set out in paragraph 7.12 of Fair Shares for All: Final Report, namely:

  changes in health board population shares (based on annually updated mid-year estimates);

  changes in the age and sex structure of the population;

  changes in the indicators of morbidity and life circumstances; and

  changes in the proportion of expenditure on different care programmes.

NHS Funding

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to paragraph 2.3 of the final Arbuthnott report, whether the mid-year estimate of population employed in deciding the allocation of resources for financial year 2001-02 will be the mid-year estimate for 1999.

Susan Deacon: Given the proximity of timing, the target shares used in the 2001-02 allocations announced on 21 September 2000 were those recently published in the final report of the Arbuthnott Review. The mid-year estimate used in that work was not updated.

NHS Funding

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what adjustments are made in the allocation of resources for general practitioner prescribing and general medical services to take account of the additional demands associated with offshore workers and other workers resident in a health board area for a substantial part of each year.

Susan Deacon: The population figures used in the Arbuthnott revenue allocation formula for general practitioner prescribing take into account all persons usually resident in an area. As such, they include offshore workers and other workers resident in a health board area at their usual area of residence. For general medical services the allocations take account of the population currently registered with a general practitioner, and so include all persons requiring the care of a GP. In addition both of these formulae reflect the additional requirements placed on general practitioners and prescribing due to temporary residents.

NHS Funding

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what adjustments are made in the allocation of resources for hospital and community health services to take account of the additional demands associated with offshore workers and other workers resident in a health board area for a substantial part of each year.

Susan Deacon: The population figures used in the Arbuthnott revenue allocation formulae for hospital and community health services take into account all persons usually resident in an area. As such, they include offshore workers and other workers resident in a health board area at their usual area of residence.

NHS Funding

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what each health board’s current allocation of resources for general medical services in 2000-01 is and how each of these allocations will change in (a) the current financial year and (b) future financial years as a result of these resources being allocated on the basis of the community health index.

Susan Deacon: The following table shows each health board’s current allocation for general medical services cash limited and indicative allocations for general medical services non-cash limited. The table also shows those increases in the allocations for general medical services cash limited for 2001-02 which take into account the Arbuthnott target shares. Future decisions on revenue allocations for general medical services have yet to be decided, reflecting the need to progress cautiously in this area.

  


Health Boards 


2000-01
GMS
Cash Ltd
£000 


2000-01
GMS Non-
Cash Ltd
£000 


2001-02
GMS Cash Ltd
Increases Based
On Arbuthnott
£000 




Argyll & Clyde 


6,946 


24,578 


10 




Ayrshire & Arran 


6,428 


19,869 


70 




Borders 


1,682 


6,731 







Dumfries & Galloway 


2,895 


9,255 







Fife 


6,026 


17,292 


30 




Forth Valley 


4,845 


13,569 


60 




Grampian 


9,878 


28,654 







Greater Glasgow 


17,627 


50,102 


130 




Highland 


4,584 


16,573 







Lanarkshire 


7,601 


28,273 


170 




Lothian 


14,864 


40,650 







Orkney 


347 


1,931 







Shetland 


437 


1,806 







Tayside 


8,838 


21,749 







Western Isles 


1,093 


2,791 







Total 


94,091 


283,823 


470

NHS Staff

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to recruit more occupational therapists into the NHSiS.

Susan Deacon: The overall recruitment and retention of Professions Allied to Medicine (PAMs), which include occupational therapists, remains healthy although there are some recognised difficulties in particular geographic areas and with some specialist posts.

  The employment of occupational therapists in the NHSiS is a matter for NHS Trusts.

NHS Staff

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address any increase in the number of violent attacks against Scottish NHS workers as reported by UNISON.

Susan Deacon: The Occupational Health Strategy for NHS in Scotland staff made clear that employers must risk-assess all tasks and activities and develop local policies based on risk, aimed at reducing violent incidents in the workplace. Policies could include measures such as training in the use of techniques designed to diffuse potentially violent situations and crime prevention and safety techniques. As part of the launch of Occupational Health and Safety Strategy, £0.5 million was made available to the NHSiS for the introduction of safety and security measures, such as the provision of access to mobile phones for community nurses, midwives and health visitors.

  The NHS in Scotland Scottish Partnership Forum on which UNISON is represented has recently agreed a guideline and model policy on "Dignity at Work: Eliminating Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace" which is expected to issue this autumn. Work will begin shortly on further guidance covering "Employee Health at Work" which will include personal safety and a model policy for the management of violence and aggression. Occupational health minimum datasets are also in preparation and data on violence against staff will be included.

  To help GPs, Regulations came into force in July which enable health boards and Trusts to take into account which GP may be best placed to deal with a potentially violent patient. The Regulations open the way for boards and Trusts to work with GPs to ensure that treatment is provided at appropriate premises.

NHS Waiting Lists

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its clinical priorities are in relation to reducing NHS waiting lists.

Susan Deacon: Reducing waiting for patients at all stages in their use of health services is one of the Executive’s key objectives for the NHS in Scotland. We are currently working with the service on the development of all-Scotland maximum waiting times in the national clinical priorities of cancer, heart disease and mental health.

  Action to reduce hospital waiting lists is primarily for health boards and NHS Trusts. The Executive has put substantial extra investment into the NHS in Scotland, including targeted investment to help reduce waiting. Coupled with new ways of working and delivering services, this will help the service to achieve sustained improvements.

NHS Waiting Times

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the total number of general practitioner/general dental practitioner referrals to outpatient departments were seen within nine weeks for each quarter from March 1997 to March 2000, listed by health board and for Scotland as a whole.

Susan Deacon: Information on outpatient waiting times is collected centrally only for first outpatient appointments with a consultant, following referral by a general medical practitioner/general dental practitioner.

  This data is available by health board of residence, by NHS Trust of treatment and by specialty in Scottish Health Statistics, which is published annually by the Information and Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency. Copies are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 6937).

Planning

Ian Jenkins (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what information Midlothian Council submitted with notification of its decision to approve a Sunday market in the pedestrian precinct, John Street, Penicuik; how many letters of objection and petitions were received, and whether the council provided specific details of public representations in relation to the application for a market operator’s licence in September 1999.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive received a copy of the application for planning permission, copies of all consultation responses and representations received by Midlothian Council and a statement by the council which comments on these responses and representations and which contains their reasons for proposing to grant planning permission. The council received 30 letters of objection. No petitions were received. The council did not provide specific details of public representations in relation to the application for a market operator’s licence in September 1999.

Planning

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to give any further powers to local authorities who have to deal with repeated planning applications, following refusals, where no conditions have changed.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has no proposals for giving local authorities further powers in this area.

Rail Network

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce whether the Freight Transport Group’s bids to the Public Transport Fund have been successful for the Stirling to Dunfermline rail link.

Sarah Boyack: There are two separate funding aspects to the reopening of the Stirling to Dunfermline rail link. Clackmannanshire Council submitted a bid to the Public Transport Fund for a passenger rail service from Stirling to Alloa building on proposals to reinstate the line from Stirling – Alloa – Dunfermline for freight traffic. The freight proposals are the subject of a separate funding application by Railtrack for Freight Facilities Grant.

  Both applications are currently being considered and I expect to announce awards from the Public Transport Fund shortly.

Roads

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what costs and other logistical issues will be associated with any change of the name of the M74 to the M6.

Sarah Boyack: Before any decision could be taken to rename the M74 it would be necessary to evaluate the costs of amending signing on the motorway and on all of its approach roads. Consultation would be required with the Highways Agency and local roads authorities adjoining the route.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new employees the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has taken on during the last three years; in what capacities any such staff are employed, and what the cost is of employing any such additional staff.

Sarah Boyack: The total number of staff employed by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) rose by 152 during the last three years. Staff costs during the same period, including social security and pension contributions, increased by £4.1 million.

  These additional staff are employed across the full range of the agency’s activities. This includes the development and implementation of national and European legislation and the carrying out of statutory regulatory duties.

Scottish Executive Accommodation

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been asked for, and has supplied, any information on the costs of construction of its headquarters office at Victoria Quay to Mr John Spencely or EMBT-RMJM Ltd. in the context of work undertaken for the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body or Holyrood Progress Group and, if so, whether it will make any such information public.

Mr Tom McCabe: No such information has been requested or supplied. RMJM were the developer’s architects for the Victoria Quay project.

Smoking

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any protocols or codes of practice for the use of nicotine replacement therapy for those trying to quit smoking in (a) Scotland and (b) Glasgow.

Susan Deacon: Comprehensive information for Scotland is not held centrally. We do know, however, that Greater Glasgow Health Board has developed three schemes for the provision of nicotine replacement therapy on the NHS, all involving community pharmacists. Pharmacists participating in the schemes are required to complete a local training programme. Details of the schemes can be obtained from the Health Board Pharmaceutical Advisor, Dalian House, 350 St Vincent Street, Glasgow G3 8YU.

  Nicotine replacement therapy can be sold or supplied under the supervision of registered pharmacists, who are expected to comply with the smoking cessation advice set out in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Medicines, Ethics and Practice Guide. In addition, the Post Qualification Education Board for NHS Pharmacists in Scotland, funded by the Scottish Executive, provides local and national training courses on smoking cessation free to all NHS pharmacists.

Transport

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish passenger port is the busiest and how many people use it annually.

Sarah Boyack: The information requested is given in tables 10.11, 10.12, 10.13 and 10.14 of Scottish Transport Statistics No 19, 2000 Edition , published by the Scottish Executive in August 2000. A copy of this is available in the Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 8690).

Transport

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure it has committed on transport in 1999-2000 and how much it plans to spend in (i) 2000-01, (ii) 2001-02 and (iii) 2002-03, showing the capital charges to be incurred during each financial year; what the purpose is of the capital charges in these expenditure plans, and whether they count as part of the public expenditure allocation to Scotland through the Barnett formula.

Sarah Boyack: In 1999-2000 the Scottish Executive spent £320.6 million on transport. Capital charges were not computed for this year.

  Expenditure plans for the next three years, which in each case include capital charges, are as follows:

  


2000-01 


£ 877.5 million (including capital charges of £491.6 
million) 




2001-02 


£ 954.5 million (including capital charges of £528.4 
million) 




2002-03 


£1,008.4 million (including capital charges of 
£544.4 million) 




  These figures include grants to local authorities.

  Capital charges represent depreciation and the cost of capital (currently 6%). A feature of the newly introduced Resource Accounting and Budgeting, which aims to ensure that the full economic cost of government activity is measured properly, capital charges are intended to show that there is a cost to the taxpayer in tying up money for many years. The motorway and trunk road network is a very valuable asset.

  Capital charges are not at present allocated to Scotland through the Barnett formula. They are treated as an item of Annually Managed Expenditure, to which the Barnett Formula does not apply.

Transport

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it proposes to make provision for travel concessions for carers as part of the proposed national travel concession arrangements.

Sarah Boyack: The current provisions of the Transport (Scotland) Bill would enable Scottish Ministers to require local authorities to make concessionary travel schemes covering inter alia "eligible persons", who are further defined as persons of pensionable age or who suffer from a disability. The Executive propose to amend the Bill to take a power to enable eligibility for bus concessionary fares to be extended to other groups, which could include "carers". However, the considerable costs involved will in practice rule out the use of this power for the foreseeable future.

Waste Management

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3032 by Sarah Boyack on 21 December 1999, what the sources are of the tritium in leachate identified as existing at the landfill sites listed in the answer to question S1W-3544 by Sarah Boyack on 26 January 2000.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) authorises the disposal of low level radioactive waste to approved landfill sites in Scotland under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. This type of waste is generated in the main by hospitals and universities and may contain low levels of tritium.

  Earlier this year SEPA commissioned a study to investigate the potential sources of tritium in the leachate collected from landfill sites within Scotland. The study found that the authorised disposal of radioactive waste could not wholly account for the levels of tritium found in leachate samples. Gaseous tritium light devices (GTLDs) have in the past been used in emergency exit signs in buildings such as cinemas. GTLDs within certain activity limits are permitted to be disposed to landfill sites with ordinary refuse. The study suggested that the concentrations of tritium observed may have arisen from such disposals. The findings of the study are contained in a report available on the SEPA website at www.sepa.org.uk.

Waste Management

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for alternative waste management options once the EC Directive on the landfilling of waste comes into effect in 2001.

Sarah Boyack: The EC Landfill Directive came into force on 16 July 1999 and is due to be transposed into national legislation within two years from that date. The Directive contains several requirements and deadlines for action.

  The National Waste Strategy: Scotland was adopted by the Scottish Executive on the 9 December 1999. It provides a long-term plan for the development of sustainable waste management in Scotland, in line with the Best Practicable Environmental Option principle.

  The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is currently working with local authorities, local enterprise companies and other interested parties to implement the strategy by developing Area Waste Plans for each of 11 Waste Strategy Areas. These plans will set out the way that waste in each area should be dealt with.

  In answer to question S1W-10051, announcing the outcome of the spending review for the environment, I said that I would soon be proposing arrangements specifically on waste for the distribution of an extra £50 million over the review period. This will help local authorities to take forward implementation of the National Waste Strategy.

Waste Management

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for removal of the most toxic hazardous waste from landfill sites prior to implementation of the EC Directive on the landfilling of waste in 2001 and whether this will be done on a phased basis.

Sarah Boyack: There is no requirement for hazardous waste to be removed from landfill sites before implementation of the Landfill Directive. However, the Directive will mean that co-disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes at landfill sites will no longer be possible. The Directive requires that, from July 2004, hazardous wastes may be disposed of only at sites which are licensed only for these wastes. I plan to issue a consultation paper on these and other technical aspects of the implementation of the Landfill Directive in the near future.

Waste Management

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the spending review as far as it applies to the waste element of the Minister for Transport and the Environment’s portfolio.

Sarah Boyack: For years we have disposed of our waste in the cheapest way possible, dumping it in landfills. We must deal with it in a more sustainable way in future.

  Last year I adopted a National Waste Strategy for Scotland. That strategy is now beginning to become a reality. The spending review has provided some of the significant resources which will be required to bring about the long-term change which is necessary if we are to meet our EC obligations for diversion of waste from landfill.

  The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), local authorities, the waste industry, local enterprise companies, non-governmental organisations and others have begun to work together in 11 Waste Strategy Areas which cover all of Scotland. Each group has investigated the type and quantity of waste produced in their area. Now each area has begun to develop plans identifying the best practicable environmental option for dealing with that waste.

  As foreshadowed in my written answer on 22 September (question S1W-10051), I am making special arrangements for allocating £50.4 million for local authorities to invest in waste to help implement the National Waste Strategy. I intend to establish a specific grant scheme, known as the Strategic Waste Fund, which will be used for allocating these funds. The funds will be spread over the three years of the spending review as follows:

  2001-02   2002-03   2003-04   Total £4.2 million   £16.0 million   £30.2 million   £50.4 million

  The Strategic Waste Fund will be flexible enough to award both current and capital grants as well as provide support for Public/Private Partnership projects where these are shown to be the best method of delivering waste services. The funds will be allocated to local authorities on the basis of readiness for expenditure on activities detailed in Area Waste Plans. In some cases funds may be allocated to groups of authorities working together. These resources will be applied to the implementation of the Area Waste Plans.

  We expect that these resources will contribute significantly to meeting the first targets to reduce the amount of waste landfilled by 2010 under the EC Landfill Directive. My officials hope to work with CoSLA and SEPA to identify funding priorities. The actual facilities and services purchased will depend on the conclusions reached in the Area Waste Plans. Expenditure which may be undertaken includes separate collections, composting machinery, materials reclamation facilities, energy from waste technology and integrated waste management contracts.

  The Strategic Waste Fund will initially cover the three years of the Spending Review. However, I am also making available a further £3 million to start the fund this financial year. This will be distributed to all authorities using a standard population-based local government revenue allocation formula. This means that all authorities will have increased funds available to them this year to invest in composting and recycling. This will help kick-start the changes we need. Authorities will be expected to provide the Executive with details of what they intend to spend the money on and also on progress made in due course. Examples of the types of activities I expect to be funded are the provision of home composting containers or the extension of recycling schemes.

  As I announced on 22 September, part of the Executive’s overall allocation for local authority expenditure includes nearly £50 million extra for environmental services. This includes an increased element for waste. It is for local authorities to allocate these funds according their own priorities and I hope that they will ensure that an appropriate amount is directed to waste management to sustain and improve this vital service.

  Last year the Executive identified £2.5 million for local authorities to plan and prepare for the implementation of the National Waste Strategy: Scotland. Over the period of the spending review we will continue to provide this funding within the main local government finance settlement.

  A major problem for recycling in Scotland, the UK and around the world, is the lack of markets for recycled materials. The Executive will seek to combat this by becoming a partner in the ground-breaking Waste Resource Action Programme (WRAP) with DETR, DTI and Wales.

  The programme will focus on breaking down institutional barriers to recycling. Many of these barriers have been shown to be at a UK level and only a UK-wide programme such as WRAP can address these properly. For example, work on materials specifications will be addressed by WRAP working with the British Standards Institute.

  WRAP will have a business focus and will concentrate initially on market facilitation, promoting investment in recycling, research and information management and the provision of guidance, advice and technical support.

  Over the three years of the spending review, the Executive will be contributing £2.1 million to the programme which is seeking overall funding of around £25 million per year. This programme will complement the work of ReMaDe Scotland - to which the Executive will continue to contribute. ReMaDe Scotland investigates alternative uses for recyclable materials and brings together waste reprocessors and end users in an effort to stimulate investment in recycling and stabilise markets for recyclable materials.

  Finally, we shall make available a further £400,000 over 2002-03 and 2003-04. This will enable the Executive to offer grants to support innovative waste prevention, re-use, recycling and composting projects. The grants may be paid to voluntary organisations, local authorities or other bodies.

  Before making decisions about the resources needed by local authorities as part of the spending review, the Executive commissioned research from independent consultants, Enviros Aspinwall, to estimate the future needs to meet the Landfill Directive targets. This work showed that expenditure on waste management will probably have to increase at current prices by more than one third of current levels each year by 2010 and double by 2020. I am pleased that CoSLA and SEPA worked closely with the consultants on this work and I have made a copy of the full report available to the Parliament today. The research report showed the size of the task we face by identifying that if the growth in waste production continues we will effectively have to compost or recycle some 12 times more than the current rate by 2010. This will increase to 20 times more by 2016 and 25 times more by 2020.

  It is clear that not all this expenditure can be provided overnight but I am pleased that the Executive has been able to commit considerable resources to allow local authorities to start to bring about real change in the way we deal with our waste, change which the public wants and Scotland needs.